Matthew Eads’ new cookbook tackles cooking over a flame, and how to bring people together.

With a title referencing grueling military preparation, you’d think Matthew Eads’ cooking-by-fire guide would be brimming with stories from years as a Marine serving in Iraq and Afghanistan (though there is a barbecue rub “hot enough to impress my brothers in the Corps.”), but it’s more about inventive recipes to feed friends and family.

Grill Seeker proves just about anything is better over open flames, be it smoking rosemary and lemon peel for a salt mix, searing cinnamon-brined pork chops or splitting a banana—with the peel intact—and topping with brown sugar, peanut butter chips and marshmallows and letting everything melt in a covered grill for an ice cream-less sundae.

There’s also a mention of Springfield resident Eads’ campaign #unitedbyflame, where “cooking over a fire brings people together—differences aside.” Whether food is cooked over charcoal or inside of a ceramic grill, whether a Boston strip steak or a Brazilian picanha is a better cut of beef, gathering for a meal is most important. “So instead of getting fired up over the latest cable news story,” writes Eads, “fire up your grill.” (Front Table Books, $19)

This post was originally published in our July 2019 issue. To stay up to date with all of the latest food content, subscribe to our weekly Food newsletter.